The present invention relates to a sewing machine with an embroidery stitching function, and more particularly relates to a sewing machine which may be switched easily and promptly between a mode for carrying out the ordinary stitching operation and a mode for carrying out the embroidery stitching operations without removing an embroidery stitching device including the means for moving an embroidering frame from the sewing machine.
It has been a long time since the sewing machine with an embroidery stitching function went into general use. This type of sewing machine is provided with a mechanism for moving an embroidering frame. As the mechanism for moving an embroidering frame, it is generally known that the mechanism is normally housed entirely in a base portion of the sewing machine with a portion for holding an embroidering frame being extended out from a side of the base portion such that the embroidering frame moving mechanism may not be an obstacle in case the ordinary stitching operation is carried out.
However, since there are a limitation of space for entirely housing the embroidering frame moving mechanism and a limitation of distance that the mechanism is moved into the space for housing the same, there has been proposed an embroidering frame moving mechanism which is partly or entirely exposed on the working bed of sewing machine.
As to the typical type of sewing machine, one of the two structures composing the embroidering frame moving mechanism is housed within the sewing machine and the other is provided on the working bed of sewing machine such that the two structures may be operated to move the embroidering frame in the X-Y directions.
Since the other of the two structures is extended up from the working surface of the sewing machine, in case the ordinary stitching operation is carried out, the embroidering frame is removed from the structure and then the structure is designed to be removed from the sewing machine.
The other of the two structures is normally connected to one of the two structures by means of fastening members such as fastening screws or other specific connectors. It is, therefore, rather difficult and troublesome to remove the structure from the sewing machine and to attach the same again to the sewing machine. In case the ordinary stitching operation and the embroidering operation are required alternately so often, the user is required to take such difficult and trouble some work every time. Moreover, it will often happen that the fastening screws are lost.
According to the sewing machine with an embroidery stitching function of the invention, the sewing machine is provided with a device for moving the embroidering frame, the device being located on a working surface of a working bed of sewing machine at the time of carrying out the embroidery stitching operation and a device for retreating the embroidering frame moving device from the working surface of the working bed to an inoperative position at the time of carrying out the ordinary stitching operation. The inoperative position or retreated position is typically preferable to be designated to a side of the working bed. The embroidering frame moving device, however, may be retreated down to a position where the device is located below the level of the working surface.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the embroidering frame moving device may be operated to retreat from the working surface of working bed to a side of working bed along a curved surface extending between a part of the working surface and a side of the working bed.
At the time of retreating the embroidering frame moving device from the working surface to the side of working bed, the embroidering frame is normally removed from the embroidering frame moving device. The device, however, may be retreated while the embroidering frame is attached to the device.
In case the embroidering frame moving device is retreated from the upper surface of working bed to a side of working bed, it is preferable to rotate the device by 90.degree.. In case the device is retreated with the embroidering frame being attached to the device, only the embroidering frame may be further rotated by 90.degree..
The embroidering frame moving device normally includes an X-direction moving mechanism and a Y-direction moving mechanism, and one of the two mechanisms is housed within a sewing machine while the other of the two mechanisms is normally located on the working bed of sewing machine.
In case the working bed is formed with a free arm and an auxiliary table which is removably attached to the free arm so as to provide a working surface with a working surface of the free arm and a working surface of the auxiliary table, it is preferable that the embroidering frame moving device and the retreating device are provided on the auxiliary table.
The embroidering frame moving device may be designed to be automatically retreated to the inoperative position at the time of changing a mode from the embroidering operation to the ordinary stitching operation.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the retreating device is connected to one of the X- and Y-direction moving mechanisms of the embroidering frame moving device, and the one of the X- and Y-direction moving mechanisms is moved to one end of the working bed by the other of the X- and Y-direction moving mechanisms. Subsequently the one of the X- and Y-direction moving mechanisms is rotated by 90.degree. to retreat from the working surface to the side of working bed.